Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Le Hoang Quan received Estonian Ambassador to Vietnam Toomas Lukk on April 10, on the occasion of the Honourary Consulate of the Republic of Estonia opened in the City.

The Chairman congratulated Ambassador Toomas Lukk on the estalishment of the Honourary Consulate, saying the move showed that Estonia treasures the relations with Vietnam.

Vietnam and Estonia have maintained a strong rapport since the first day of the diplomatic ties, yet their bilateral cooperation potential in trade and education have not been fully tapped, Quan said.

Thus, the new Estonian rep. office in Ho Chi Minh City will open more opportunities for the two nations to expand their collaboration, he added, pledging that the southern city will do its utmost to support the Consulate’s operation in the future.

On his part, the Estonian Ambassador hoped that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the European Union will be shortly concluded, clearing the way for more Estonian businesses to do business in Vietnam.

He believed the Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s economic hub, will help foster economic cooperation between the two sides.

The Republic of Estonia is strong in advanced technology, adopting an e-government system 15 years ago. The online service model was also popular in other fields of work, including school administration, tax payment and most recently, E-citizen.

Estonia’s pool of experience in digital services and technology is expected to facilitate bilateral cooperation in the field, alongside agriculture and healthcare.